SARGODHA, Jan 13: Unidentified people stealthily entered the District Bar Association room during the Eid holidays allegedly to get hold of the ballot papers to tamper with the results. The outcome of the polls was announced on Jan 7 after the process of counting was held in the candlelight. Two days later, defeated candidate for presidential slot Malik Muhammad Afzal Farooka filed an election petition before the Punjab Bar Council, Lahore, executive committee chairman and challenged the results of bar association by calling them bogus.

The executive committee had reportedly stopped president-elect Chaudhry Naseer Ahmad Cheema from working, though he had already taken charge from the former president.

On the day of election, at least nine ballot papers for the post of secretary-general were found missing during the third count after which Tayyab Sherazi was declared successful with a lead of five votes. During the earlier two counts, his opponent Chaudhry Khaliqdad was winning with a similar margin.

An emergent meeting was held under the chairmanship of newly-elected vice-president Chaudhry Mumtaz Bhawana and it was decided not to hand over the case to police.

It is learnt that election cell chairman Raja Khalid Nasrullah disclosed that owing to poor light some malpractices took place and winning candidate Chaudhry Naseer had apprehended tampering with the process and record, including counter files.

A senior lawyer told this correspondent on the condition of anonymity that the entire record should have been sealed after the dispute of nine missing votes arose. He said the official in possession of the ballot boxes should be held responsible for the episode.

Meanwhile, the PBC executive chairman has reportedly summoned the record on Saturday (today) and would review the election process to take decision.